Description
Book SynopsisA unique new account of New Labour in power-drawing on a mass of previously unpublished contributions from most of the main players in the Blair government, including Tony Blair himself.
Trade ReviewMaking me feel nostalgic for New Labour is quite an achievement. But the authors of a fascinating new book have somehow managed it ... a perceptive, scholarly study... * Iain Martin, The Times *
A fascinating book. * Andrew Grice, The Independent *
... fascinating retrospective ... It draws upon the rich seam of material from a host of distinguished contributors ... We hear a whole range of voices with a unique and previously unheard contribution to make [...] an account like this is long overdue. * Alan Johnson, The Spectator *
A vital addition to the literature on the Blair government and New Labour ... a fascinating study, packed with first-hand accounts and primary sources, and one, as the authors posit, that the fair-minded reader will find particularly rewarding. * Robert Ledger, LSE Blogs *
Davis and Rentoul make generous use of fascinating first-hand testimony. * Oliver Wiseman, CapX *
Obviously well informed ... a useful source on the extreme disfunction of our unwritten constitution. * Natalie Bennett, Green World *
The best survey of New Labour to date... * insidestory.org *
This is an impressive new analysis of the conduct of UK government over the period 1997 to 2007... While there have been numerous treatments of this subject, the authors [...] manage to offer something here which feels genuinely original and different... Davis and Rentoul show how to make contemporary history both insightful and engaging. * Society of Professional Economists *
Combining first-hand sources and independent judgement, this is the first book on the Blair-Brown years which moves beyond journalism, biography and memoir to being the first draft of history. * Ed Balls, Former Economic Secretary to the Treasury *
The authors have had unprecedented access to the key figures of the Blair-Brown era and made brilliant use of it. Their superbly written book is meticulously researched, rich in insight and wise in judgement. * Sir Michael Barber *
The Blair Government changed Britain radically and the reverberations echo through all our current debates. Now is the perfect time to review those years and this is the perfect guide. * Michael Gove *
A stunning achievement. It is so well balanced and thoughtful, and makes masterly use of new evidence. It is a complete model of how to write a book. * Sir Anthony Seldon *
Table of ContentsPrologue Introduction 1: The Blair-Brown Coalition 2: Sofa 3: Spin, Spads, and Sir Humphreys 4: The Treasury: The Brown-Balls Partnership 5: The Iraq War Conclusion Notes Index
